New E-commerce Law in Georgia Imposes Obligations on Businesses to Protect Consumers, Says Ucha Seturi

The new "On Electronic Commerce" law in Georgia imposes obligations on micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, making customers feel safe, according to Ucha Seturi, head of the "Small and Medium Telecom Operators Association of Georgia" The law requires businesses to make their data public, a well-known practice for larger businesses, which helps customers identify the company easily.

Seturi believes that this obligation will filter out dishonest entities that can deceive users, extort money, and then disappear, causing distrust among users. This, in turn, affects state services, which are tied to the system.

The law will also make legal procedures easier for consumers, after which the violator will be punished, and the business will leave the market. Starting an online business is the easiest, Seturi added. Manufacturers can digitally deliver the product to the customer and avoid communication with salespeople and distributors.

Last week, the Georgian Parliament passed the law "On Electronic Commerce" in the first reading, with support from the USAID economic management. The draft law regulates activities related to electronic commerce/information society services, the responsibility of the persons providing these services, and the principles of activity of the provider and recipient of information services, their rights, and obligations.

The development of a legal framework for e-commerce is crucial for the growth of entrepreneurship and e-commerce in the country. It promotes and improves the proper functioning of the digital internal market and provides additional protection of user rights in the field of e-commerce, increasing trust in e-commerce platforms. This, in turn, contributes to the integration of Georgia into the single European digital market and the global trade space.